


Five times they kissed and the one time they made it official

by j_obsessed



Category: Cricket RPF
Genre: 5+1 Things, Dear god so much fluff, Fluff, IKEA, Idiots in Love, Kissing, M/M, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:09:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24878242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_obsessed/pseuds/j_obsessed
Summary: Here's the thing. I thought of this today, wrote it today, edited it today, and have posted it today- simply because I needed to get it out of my head. They're so cute it is painful, and I can swear on my life, this has happened canonically. Because it's just, so /them/. Hope you enjoy <3
Relationships: (mentioned) Alastair Cook/Jimmy Anderson, (mentioned) Ben Stokes/Eoin Morgan, (mentioned) Jonny Bairstow/Chris Woakes, Jos Buttler/Joe Root
Comments: 42
Kudos: 23





	Five times they kissed and the one time they made it official

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to dedicate this to everyone in the cricket community, who, literally, give me so much love. I really hope you love this as much as I enjoyed writing it <3

1.

The first time it happens, Joe kind of freaks out. Not in the moment, but ten minutes later, while he’s washing the dishes and realises what the actual _fuck_ just happened. Oh, and now he’s broken a dish by dropping it onto the tiles. Shit. But that’s not even what his brain is concentrating on right now.

Because Jos... _kissed him?_ WHAT? They aren’t like that. They aren’t, seriously. They hug, throw themselves all over each other at training and during matches, and at team nights and strategy meetings and in the team bus and on the plane, sure, yes. Absolutely. But kissing? They’ve definitely never done this before, Joe’s sure of it. If they did, Joe’s sure he wouldn’t forget, and he’s also pretty sure that they’d be dating, because Jos doesn’t just, do this. Not even with Ben and Eoin, who he’s known forever. No, he only kisses them on their cheeks, or foreheads (those are for Morgs because he’s short, Joe does it too, and as much as their captain likes to act frustrated and disgruntled, they all know how much he loves it).

But Jos kissed him. Not like, really. But like. Okay, yes, _really._ It wasn’t like, messy or slobbery or anything like that. No hint of tongue or teeth or desperation or need or desire. It wasn’t a peck either, because it didn’t seem like it was an incredibly considered or pondered action. It just happened, like Jos didn’t give it any thought at all. It seemed as though it was… _second-nature. Natural. Nothing out of the ordinary._ Jos had cupped his jaw with one hand, warmly and lovingly, before pressing lightly chapped lips against his own, before whispering a goodnight into the two centimetres of space between them and walking out of his apartment. And Joe hadn’t even NOTICED. Hadn’t even realised that anything different had happened.

Until just now.

Fuck.

 _But why did he kiss me? Can I even ask him about it? That’s so awkward oh my god no, I can’t do that._ So Joe pretends nothing happened and chalks it down to the fact that Jos must have had a few too many beers with Jonny and Woaksey through the night. 

2.

Joe realises what he’s done immediately, and stammers to apologise but, the words get caught in his throat because Jos just looks so beautiful and oh my _god what is happening!?_

He has no idea what’s come over him, or what possessed him to lean up and press his lips to Jos’ as he opened his apartment door for the wicketkeeper and Jimmy, who have come over for dinner. Jos doesn’t seem to be too affected or even notice that it’s happened, as he presses a bottle of red into his hands.

Jimmy, however, looks incredibly uhh, what is it they say these days… ah yes, _shook._ He hasn’t flipped shit or anything, because that’s just not his style. But his eyebrows have almost reached the quiff of his hair, which is saying something. He’s also blinking rapidly, and Joe would laugh, but, _circumstances._

“You gonna let me walk in Joey? Or is dinner being served in the foyer tonight?”

“Oh shush Jossy, hurry up and get in, the warm air is going to escape, and then Ali will complain about the cold.”

Jos grins, and Jimmy suppresses a smile as the two hurry into the living room. Jimmy immediately pulls off the heavy jacket he’d worn, to reveal a dark burgundy button up. Jos whistles appreciatively, and is met with a half-hearted glare from one half of the couple and a laugh from the other- you can guess who gave what.

“Hey, do not use me as an excuse Joseph Root-”

“Don’t worry Ali sweetheart, I’ll keep you warm,” Jimmy cuts off his boyfriend’s retort with a wink, as he pressed the man into his arms. “Missed you.”

Joe’s heart aches because he wants to do that to Jos so bad, but he’s already pushed his boundaries enough tonight.

“You two are so gross I can actually feel my teeth sustaining cavities,” Jos says, with a massive smile which gives away exactly how he’s feeling. “Joey, need some help serving?”

“Uhm, uh, I mean, I guess I-”

“Jos why don’t you catch up with Ali, I’ll help Joe in the kitchen.”

Joe smiles nervously, silently thanks Jimmy, and dashes the fuck out of the living room.

3\. 

Joe screams, before he realises the scent, and relaxes into the hug. The stranger’s (not really, but anyway) arms have come to rest over his shoulders, and he’s pulled back into a firm, broad chest. “Jos I swear to fucking god you just gave me a damn heart attack. Had I not realised that my mystery attacker was bathed in Old Spice, I wouldn’t have realised it was you, and I might have actually killed you.”

“You. Kill me? Joey, you’d never hurt a fly, and who else is back-hugging you in grocery stores that it wouldn’t be me?” There’s a little something in Jos’ voice, but Joe doesn’t catch it, probably because he’s a) too busy trying to calm his heart down and b) really enjoying being bundled in Jos’ arms.

“Shush. You’re late! I’ve basically already finished.”

“I’m sorry Joey, I swear I walked through the entire store like four times, but I couldn’t find you.”

“It’s okay Jossy, I’m glad you made it finally though. How was the drive?” 

“As good as driving three hours can be. Definitely ready to get back to yours though. Thank you so much for letting me stay with you, staying in a hotel just, didn’t really appeal this time.”

“Of course! Anytime. Anyway, you’re probably wondering why I asked you to come to the grocery store. Basically, since you’re coming to stay, I thought that we get you some of the stuff you’d need.”

Jos doesn’t say anything, so Joe takes it as his signal to continue talking. “So, I’ve got you a toothbrush, because I know you forgot yours-”

“Shit I knew, I knew I had missed something.”

Joe grins and waves a Colgate brush in front of his face. “And then I know you need your specific flavour of protein powder, so there’s some of that, and I’ve also got some salmon so you can make that dish you keep raving about, which reminds me- was it Singapore or Hokkien noodles? Because I was looking for the recipe, but we talk so much, and my phone literally crashed before I could get to it. And I even got Coco pops, against all my morals, because you’re a heathen that doesn’t like Fruit Loops-”

Joe knows there’s more he’s got so he’s not exactly sure why he’s stopped talking. Until it catches up with him that Jos has wrapped a hand around his bicep, and, _once again,_ pressed his lips to Joe’s mouth. Really chastely, it’s so pure and loving that the batsman can feel his heart skip a beat.

“Uhm, I-”

“It’s Hokkien noodles, and I detest that, you’re the heathen, Fruit Loops taste like sugar if it was on a damn sugar rush Joey, I don’t know how you eat that stuff.”

Jos takes the handle of the trolley from Joe’s hands and pushes it along as Joe grabs the rest of the groceries before they head to the counter. Jos fights him and ends up winning, as he smugly hands over his black card to the grocer.

She’s smiling very widely at them, and says “you guys are so cute together, how long have you been dating?”

“Uh we aren-”

“Almost three months.”

“You look very in love.” Joe almost believes her, from the way she says it. “Enjoy your night!”

“Thank you, we hope you do too!”

Joe blinks twice. What. When they’re in the lift, Jos asks what Joe would like him to make for dinner, before they launch into an argument regarding whose job it is to look after who. It’s easy, and Joe forgets about the kiss. (Not really.)

4\. 

Joe doesn’t exactly know why Jos has dragged him to the IKEA in Manchester, but their match has been rained out, and he has nothing to do, so he doesn’t fight it. (He wouldn’t have fought it anyway, because like, hello, IKEA is where dreams are made.)

They mess around in each section, pretending to pick furniture as if they were moving into a home together. Joe ignores the pang of ‘oh my god I want that so fucking bad I would literally give my whole entire fucking life just to have that’ which has decided to reside in his chest.

Jos plays the part of a lovesick boyfriend really well. Dutifully asking what Joe thinks of everything, paying close attention to the colours he picks, and the styles he likes. If there’s ever something Joe doesn’t like, he bombards him with questions like, _why don’t you like it Joey, is it the colour_ and _what would you prefer instead_ and _how can we make it better Joey?_

They don’t even cut through the sections they wouldn’t need. They’re not in any hurry to go anywhere, they have all the time in the world. Jos throws himself on countless couches, and then if he’s deemed them to be suitable (i.e., they do not break his back because he didn’t test whether they were soft enough), he pulls the younger batsman down onto ~~him~~ the couch beside him, before they both burst into laughter. People who pass by them grin at them, and kids who run past sometimes wave enthusiastically at them, a few ask for photos or an autograph, which, the two cricketers are always happy to provide.

They persevere through the office section, Joe making faces at all of the 9-5 desks and chairs before they come across the mattresses. Joe takes one look at Jos, who has a massive grin on his face, before launching himself into the springy beds. Jos’ smile gets a little mischievous, as he flops down next to Joe, who’s almost launched (see: yeeted) off the bed.

They stumble across a daybed, which is a beautiful dark mahogany colour, and has compartments across one of the sides, which look like they should hold books, or perhaps- “Oh my god Joey, this would be perfect for you, you can sit on the bed and prop up your sheet music when you play your guitar!”

“Jos what are you even talking about, I don’t need another bed?”

“No but, I was thinking, since like, you stay over at mine when we have matches at Old Trafford now, and I was going to replace my sofa anyway, I could get this, and that way, when you come over and stay, you don’t have to prop up your music on my coffee table with pringles cans, and-”

Joe stands up, now directly eye-level with the wicketkeeper, looks into his eyes, and kisses him. Soft as a feather, before squeezing him into a hug. He doesn’t give a fuck that they’re standing in the middle of IKEA, or that everyone could probably see them. Jos’ arms settle around him, as he says “so is that a yes?”

“Absolutely not. I will not have you buying furniture on a whim like that, just for me.”

The fact that Jos had given in so quickly should have tipped him off really, because when he finally leaves the strategy meeting that he was forced to stay back for, and gets back to Jos’ apartment, the new piece of furniture is still boxed up, and lying where Jos’ old sofa should have been. The wicketkeeper gives him a blinding smile, and Joe forces himself not to jump into the blonde boy’s arms. He does think about it though, all evening, while they put IKEA furniture together.

5\. 

“Joe?”

“Joey is everything okay?”

“Joe you’re scaring us what’s happening?”

Ben is dashing toward the older boy, reaching him just in time to catch Joe’s weight on his left side, before he can crumble to the floor.

The ginger looks up at Eoin immediately with realisation in his eyes. “Panic attack.”

Eoin turns to Jase immediately, barking orders. He’s a good captain, Joe thinks, as he tries to get some oxygen into his lungs.

“Everybody who isn’t Ben, Jase or myself, move away, give him some space, he needs to control his breathing.” The entire team, still wracked with concern, does as their captain says and pull away. “Someone get me Jos, right the fuck now!” Some of the boys look confused, and someone even murmurs ‘wait, why Jos, what?’, but before Eoin can turn around to scream at them, Jonny, who’s seen this happen before, dashes out of the common room and into the showers. “Jase, get me some water please.” Ben is still clutching onto Joe, who currently looks paralysed and in complete fear. Not even five seconds after Bairstow left the room, Jos is barrelling in, wearing his shirt backwards, and barefoot.

“Joe. Look at me.” He doesn’t get any sort of response. Jos kicks into gear immediately, “Ben, give him to me.” The taller ginger shifts himself so that Joe is resting against Jos, letting out a relieved breath as the wicketkeeper picks Joe up and quickly sets him onto the bench nearby, making sure his back is supported by the wall. He kneels down in front of him, and wraps his hand around Joe’s wrist, placing it in the centre of his chest. “Joe, baby, I need you to breathe with me.”

“Been trying. Not working.” Is the only response that Joe can give. He looks up at Jos.

Ben gets up immediately, “I’m calling-”

“No time,” Jos says, before quickly pressing his lips against Joe’s. In front of everyone. He knows it’s not exactly politically correct, but he’ll apologise later because this is the only thing that is going to work. He feels Joe reciprocate slowly, and sure enough, within a few moments, Joe’s chest is rising and falling rhythmically. Jos keeps the younger’s hand on his chest, ensuring that he stays breathing. The young batsman slumps against Jos’ body with a quiet ‘thank you Jossy,’ as the wicketkeeper brushes some hair back from his forehead.

No one says anything.

+1

When Joe is sent to the hospital, Jos almost has a heart attack. He knew the younger looked a little uncomfortable out in the field, but, at the end of the day’s play, when Joe was taking off his gear, and fell a little too far to the right, passing out into the bench, Jos swears, he feels his heart stop beating. Joe’s escorted into the ambulance and driven away before Jos can even make up a lie to convince the paramedics to let him go too.

Ben is at his side in a moment, offering to drive. Jos has never gunned it to the car park that fast in his life. He doesn’t even ask reception which room Joe is in, just runs straight in, and turns left, speeding down the wing. Ben catches up with him eventually and realises that somehow, Jos has ended up directly in front of the room of the young batsman anyway, despite having no idea where or if he was even at the hospital yet. The wicketkeeper very nearly kicks the door down, before a tall-ish green-eyed nurse, clad in scrubs, informs them that Joe is doing completely fine, that he’s just severely dehydrated and hooked up to an IV, and not to worry too much. 

“Can I please see him?”

“There’s only one visitor at a time, one of you may-”

Jos has already entered the room and shut the door before Ben can even say that he thinks he’ll wait outside for Morgan. He turns to the nurse, to apologise softly, only to find her shaking her head, as she says “lovers, I get it, I’d be a mess too,” before handing Ben a clipboard with some notes. “He’ll be discharged tomorrow morning; I just need you to give this to his boyfriend to sign.”

“They’re not, uh- they’re not involved… like that?”

She chuckles, “Right. Okay. Then whoever is his emergency contact, that should do. I’ll bet it’s him though.”

Ben nods, and the young nurse smiles, swiftly taking her leave. He shoots a text to Morgan regarding Joe’s condition, and gets a prompt response of ‘I’ll be there in ten.’

Once Jos has successfully made it into Joe’s room, he almost passes out at the sight of the young batsman hooked to an IV. It hurts. It hurts bad, and he doesn’t know what the fuck he expected, but this is a bit much. He dashes to Joe’s side and hurriedly tucks his face under Joe’s chin.

“I’m so angry with you. So so angry. You can’t fucking do that to me again.” The raw emotion in his own voice surprises him. Soft fingers make their way into Jos’ hair, and he breathes out a shuddering sigh of relief.

“Do what, exactly?” Joe’s eyes open slowly, as he reaches his other hand up to Jos’ jaw to look into his eyes.

“Make me think that I wouldn’t be able to do this again,” he says, before affirmingly pressing his lips to Joe’s. The younger tightens the hand in Jos’ hair, pulling him closer and kissing him deeper. It’s still not graphic in the slightest, but it is, in every way, confirming that Joe is okay, still alive, and still there for Jos to kiss.

“Is this our thing now?”

“What’s ‘this’ exactly?” Jos smiles, softly kissing the younger boy’s forehead.

“Um, kissing?”

“Kissing you, is definitely my thing, yes.”

“I think I might have a thing for kissing you too.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” he says, before leaning over to plant another kiss against the smaller boy’s mouth. Jos makes to pull back, but Joe doesn’t let him, biting softly at the keeper’s bottom lip, as he smiles into the caress of their mouths.

“Does this mean we’re dating. Like, officially.”

“I want to ask you properly, not when you’re hooked to an IV and in the middle of playing a damn test match.”

“Ask me now. _Please.”_

“Joey, would you please be my b-”

“Yes.”

It surprises precisely no one that Ben actually has to get the nurse to permit the admission of three people into Joe’s room an hour later because Jos refuses to leave his boyfriend’s side. She makes the exception, grinning the entire time.

It also, surprises no one, that exactly nothing changes between the two blondes. They’ve always been each other’s anyway.


End file.
